Area-Images and Behavior - An Alternative Perspective for Understanding Urban Crime (From Crime - A Spatial Perspective, P 193-204, 1980, Daniel E Georges-Abeyie and Keith D Harries, ed. - See NCJ-74011)

• NCJ Number: 74024
• Author(s): R L Carter; K Q Hill
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 12 pages
• Sale Source: Columbia University Press
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Conceptual models of the criminal's environment-behavior system are described, and evidence to support the prevalent environment-behavior model is examined.

Abstract

Carter and Brantingham have offered similar conceptual models which describe the network of environment-behavior relationships which might account for the property criminal's choice of crime locale. In summary, the model suggests a strong probabilistic relationship between the criminal's mental image of the differential opportunity structure of the city and his/her eventual criminal activity patterns. To date, little systematic scholarship exitst which directly addresses the adequacy of this conceptual approach. There are, however, threads of supportive evidence in some past scholarship, and the authors are preparing an extended analysis of some aspects of the environment-behavior model. There are three broad categories of research which offer some evidence: (1) ecological analyses of crimes within cities, (2) autobiographical reports from offenders, and (3) the authors' research on the utility of the environment-behavior model based on the study of interview data from 83 property criminals. The authors' research has found that property offenders' images of discrete areas of the city can be summarized into a small number of 'dimensions of evaluation' which are themselves patterned in ways consonant with some theoretical expectations; for example, separate evaluative dimensions of familiarity and strategy emerge. Components of the area image matrix were also found to be systematically related to criminals' choice of locales for crimes. Black criminals' crime patterns were predominantly influenced by familiarity evaluations, whereas whites were influenced about equally by perceived ease of committing offenses in given areas and familiarity with areas. The relevance of the environment-behavior model to policy is discussed. Graphic data and 19 notes are provided. For related articles, see NCJ 74011.